The concept of the design is to create a landmark for the City of Dublin. It also acts as a ‘visiting card’ for the new character of the docklands with a pedestrian-friendly, multi-functional and vivid environment. From Britain Quay, a public lane between a platform element and a point block element forms the entrance to the building complex and offers a ‘framed’ view of the river. Bridges connect both parts of the structure and give an urban character to the space. The transparency and openness of the ground floor provides a strong relationship between indoor-and outdoor-spaces: in the shelter of the surrounding building structure a public square with terraces, bars and restaurants is located next to the river; it becomes part of the promenade and the boundaries between inside and outside disappear. A surface different from the surrounding pavement marks the platform element on the entire area. This platform element, which fills the entire site at basement level, develops a four storey structure above ground floor that occupies two thirds of the narrow end of the site. The upper floor is a set -back storey which gives space to a semi-public park on top of the platform element. The four-storey element and two slim tower elements at the north-west end of the site form a solid back for the composition and also the edges of the public square on the ground level. Floating above the square is a 16 storey glass tower. Leaning towards the river it only seems to be held in position by the embrace of the two heavier appearing tower elements. The gaps between the individual building parts have the character of outdoor-spaces and contain circulation areas. The solid tower element next to the entrance lane contains services to all floors of the building as well as private access and a lift for the members of U2. On the entire ground and first floor there are a night club and shops in the platform element and restaurants and an exhibition area in the glass tower. On the upper floors of the platform element there are apartments, offices and studios of various sizes which can be living or working spaces or a combination of both. The standard floor of the point element at the north east end of the site and the glass tower can also be used as a mixture of living-and working lofts. The parts of the glass tower leaning over the predominant building line towards the edges of the water are balconies with excellent views of the river. The two top floors are reserved to the U2 studios. They distinguish themselves from the building complex by their special shape. From the tower element containing the services a kind of ‘box’ develops over the edge of the glass tower and seems to ‘look out’ towards the ocean. Here the recording-unit is supposed to be located. The two top floors offer a variety of different spaces with good views towards all directions, a private roof garden facing south-east and a deck with a pool with a view of Dublin to the west.

The glass tower has a double-layered glass skin which can be altered regarding the different positions of the sun in the course of the day. Sun-screening elements of various colours make the façades look vivid and balconies of various sizes give different depths to the appearance of the building. They also divide the façade of the glass tower into two parts to contribute to the slenderness of the building The material of the platform element and the two solid tower elements developing from it is meant to be coloured fair-faced concrete so as to let them look similar to typical brick façades.

The composition is supposed to form a building which acts as a beacon for Dublin. It contributes to the positive reuse of the Dublin docklands as it offers a density and variety of residential and commercial spaces which create a small – scale urbanity with a friendly, sociable atmosphere.